Constant torque-type stress appliance for firearm barrels



July 8, 1958 M. TEMPLE 2,841,909

, L. CONSTANT TORQUE-TYPE STRESS APPLIANCE FOR FIREARM BARRELS FiledJuly 12, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. "4" '1 to LezzzzeZ/ZZmpZe July8, 1958' M. TEMPLE CONSTANT TORQUE-TYPE STRESS APPLIANCE FOR FIRE ARMBARRELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2" Filed July 12, 1954 liezmzeZ/i fem 0Z6 Q0INVENTOR.

July 8, 1958 L. M. TEMPLE 2,341,909

CONSTANT TORQUE-TYPE STRESS APPLIANCE I F OR FIREARM BARRELS "Filed July12, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet.3

IN VEN TOR. lama 65M TGIF/0Z6 Habit 2W6.

for the stock and barrel of a firearm a connector of thescrew-adjustment type of which the aforementioned wrench-typemanipulator is a clutch the members of which are positively engaged totransmit unlimited torque to the adjustment screw in stress-relievingdirection, and are frictionally engaged to transmit no more thanpredetermined maximum torque to the adjustment screw 'in stress-applyingdirection, thereby to permit harmless into engagement with each other bya variable spring force, thereby not only achieving the aforementionedpositive and frictional engagement between the clutch members for thetransmission to the adjustment screw of unlimited torque and no morethan predetermined maximum torque in stress-relieving andstress-applying directions, respectively, with the added assurance thatthe torque in stress-applying direction will, by virtue of the cammingaction between the ratchet teeth and pawl-like projections on the clutchmembers, remain constant at any adjusted magnitude for a long time, butalso obtaining, when overdriving the clutch in stress-applyingdirection, an unmistakable signal that further rotation of the same isunnecessary, by the readily perceptible clicking sounds then caused bythe ratchet teeth and pawl-like projections on the clutch members.

Further objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the artfrom the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out thepresent invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a firearm stock-and-barrel connector embodyingthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same connector;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the connector as taken on theline 33 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sections through the connector as taken on thelines 4--4 and 5--5, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. -6 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the connector astaken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 6, showing certain partsof the connector in diflerent operating positions;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side view of a firearm and installed connector;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the same firearmand installed connector;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross-section through the firearm and installedconnector as taken on the line 10--10 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a firearm andinstalled connector which embodies the present invention in a modifiedmanner; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through a firearm andinstalled connector which embodies the present invention in a furthermodified manner.

a bottom 30 and a rim 32 which in this instance is annular andpreferably knurled on its outer periphery as at 34 to serve as aconvenient knob. The manipulator 24 and driven member 22 constitute theelements of a clutch, in this instance a pawl-type clutch. To this end,the bottom 39 of the manipulator 24 is provided with an annular row ofratchet-like teeth 36 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6), while the adjacent face of thedriven member 22 is provided with cooperating pawl-like projections 38which may conveniently be formed by equi-angularly notching the drivenmember as at 40 (see also Fig. 4). Received in the manipulator 24 withinits rim 32 is the head 42 of a screw 44 having a threaded shank 46received in the driven member 22. The blank part 48 of the shank 46extends with a free fit through an axial bore 50 in the bottom 30 of themanipulator 24 to mount the latter on the driven member 22 for rotationcoaxially of its shank 26. Surrounding the shank 46 of the screw 44 andinterposed between the head 42 of the latter and the bottom 30 of themanipulator 24 is a compression type spring, in this instance in theform of opposed spring discs 52 and 54, which yieldingly hold themanipulator in driving engagement with the driven member. The screw 44may be turned at its head 42 with a screw driver or the like in order toprovide a preset compression of the spring discs 52 and 54 and, hence,the force with which the manipulator 24 is urged into driving engagementwith the driven member 22.

Reference is now had to Figs. 8 to 10 which show the instant stressconnector 20 installed in a firearm of conventional construction, havingthe usual wooden stock 62 and bedded barrel 64 therein. The rear end ofthe barrel 64 is customarily screwed or otherwise anchored in the usualreceiver (not shown) which is suitably anchored in the intermediateportion of the stock, and the barrel is further secured to the forepart66 of the stock, in this instance by the stress connector 20. Theconnector 20 is adapted not only to secure the forepart of the barrel 64to the forepart 66 of the stock, but also to induce in the barrelstresses of a magnitude to obtain optimum firing accuracy.. The stressesinduced by the instant connector 20 in the barrel 64 are bendingstresses, and these are achieved, in the present instance, by causingthe connector to draw the barrel and forepart of the stock together. Inorder that opposing bending stresses may be induced by the connector 20in the barrel 64 and forestock 66, the latter is in this instanceprovided with a trough-like bedding recess 68 in which the barrel 64extends with increasing clearance 70 away from the receiver.

The shank 26 of the driven member 22 of the connector 20 extends throughthe stock escutcheon 72 and an aligned hole 74 in the forepart 66 of thestock 62 (Fig. 9), and the threaded end 28 of this shank is received ina fixed member comprising a lug 76 on the barrel 64. The lug 76 is inthis instance secured to the barrel 64 through intermediation of a band78 on the latter. The shank 26 of the driven member 22 of the connectoris provided with an annular shoulder 80 which rests against a similarshoulder 82 in the stock escutcheon 72. These shoulders form cooperatingabutments whereby the barrel 64 and forepart 66 of the stock 62 will bedrawn against each other to induce bending stresses in each on turningthe driven member 22 in the screw-in direction of its threaded shank end28, and these bending stresses will be relieved in the barrel and stockon turning the driven member 22 in the opposite direction, as will bereadily understood.

The ratchet teeth 36 on the manipulator 24 and the pawl-like projections38 on the driven member 22 are so arranged that the shoulders of theratchet teeth interlock with the adjacent sides 92 of the pawl-likeprojections (see also Fig. 6), and positively drive the member 22 in theunscrewing direction of the exemplary righthand thread on the end 28 ofits shank 26, i. e. in stressrelieving direction, when the manipulator24 is turned in the sarne direction;

adjusted angular position.

Y Accordingly, any amount of torque} applied toithemanipulator 24 willbe transmitted ,torthe'member 22 inthe stress-relievingdirection/toassureinstantaneous relief of the stresses in the barrel'and stock whenthe firearm is'conditioned for. inaction of any duration/ However, onturning the manip fiator 24 .in

the opposite or stress-applying direction in order to restore the.previous stresscondition in the barrel and stock for I reneweduse of thefirearm at its optimum-firing accuracy, the frictional engagementbetween theinclin'ed flanks If 94 .of the'rat'chet teeth 36 and'thepawl-like projections 38 (Fig. :6)1=Will determine the/maximumtorque'trans- 6 I when *its:firing accuracy has forany reason fwhateverdeteriorated.

While in the exemplary connector 20 described herein 1 the ratchet teethare provided on the manipulator and the pawl-like projections areprovided on the driven mem-' ber, these may obviously be reversed on themanipulator and driven member in a'self-explanatory manner. Also, whilethe connector. in the exemplary installation of Figs. 8 tov -10 drawsthe stocka'nd barrel of the firearm'together for inducing the correctstress condition in the'barrel for its optimum firing'accuracy, the,same connector in -,slightly' modified form" may be used in a firearmfor v.mittibleby the manipulator'to thedriven member. 22."IfjlthGIOIiQUE applied to the manipulator.24.in.stress applying.direction; exceeds athisina ximum atxwhich the x exact stress,conditions in the stock and barrel forrenewed optimum; firing accuracyof the latter are restored,

the drivensrmember will' noilonger be. driven and the .ratchet te'eth 36onthe'manipulator' will simply override the.pawl:-like projections 38 onthe driven member (Fig.

7 7).,-;as vwill*be'readilyunderstood.

Asalready mentioned, the. maximum torque trans- ;forcing its'stock andbarrel apart in order to induce in the latter the correct stresscondition for its optimum firing accuracy. 'Such a'm'odified connectorapplicationl in a firearm is shown in" Fig'.- 11.

. In this figure, thejshank 26. 1 of the'driverrfmember 22' of theconnector is provided with "a collar 101 which mittible by themanipulator 24 to the driven member 22 in stress-applying directiondepends on the force with.

' which 'theiinclined flanks 9 f the ratchet teeth 36 on, V

the former d rivingly engage the pawl -like projections'38 on thelatter, and thisforce may. be ya'ried to suit by ("changingthejcompre'ssion of the spring discs 52and 54'by means of, theadjustment screg'r-.441 -Accordingly,.' the aba'rrel ofanyl firearm mayinitially bestressed for optimum'firing' accuracy, eitherinthejfactoryor by the pure chaser, by manipulatin'g the adjustment screw 44 andturning the manipulator 24 in stress-applyingdirection v .until 'thebarrel fires with" optimumiaccuracy, meaning that the correct stressconditionlin'lthe' particular barrel for its optimum firing accuracyhas" then been attained. A

7 set screw 100 in the driven member '22 may then be tightened againstthe shank 46 of'the adjustment screw 44 in order releasably to lockthelatter in its correctly Thereupon', the stresses in the barrel andstock may be relieved for any inactive period of the firearm topreventwarping of the wooden Y stock as much as possible, by simplyturning the manipulator 24 in stress-relieving direction untilapproximate minimum resistance to its rotation in this direction isexperienced by the operator. In order to condition the fire' arm forrenewed use, the operator or marksman need merely turn the manipulator24 in stress-applying direction until the latter overdrives the member22 and indi cates to the operator o-rrnarksman that the correct stressconditions in thestock and barrel arerestored and the; manipulator 24requires no further turning. The fact '7 1 of the overdrive of themanipulator 24 is all the more;

unmistakably brought home to the operator or marksman by the clickingsounds caused by the ratchet teeth 36 and pawl-like projections 38 whenthe former override the latter.

barrel of the firearm "depend solely on the tension in the connector 20,and since this tension'is determined 7 directly by the torque applied tothe driven member 22 in stress-applying direction, it follows that thesame stress conditions are exactly restored in the stock and barrel" ineach repeated instance regardlessof Warpage of vthe stock in themeantime, for the maximum torque trans- I mittible by the manipulator 24to the driven member 22 is and remains constant, despite any Warpage ofthe stock,

. as long as the adjustment ofthe screw 44 is not changed.

The instant connector 20 is, byvirtue of its variable maximum torqueoutput in stress-applying direction,

' ideally suited for installation in all'kinds of firearms andsubsequent stressing of their barrels for optimum firing Since themagnitudes of the stresses in the stock and a barrel 64".

accuracy, as well as for accurately re-stressing' the barrel of anyfirearm for renewed optimum firing accuracy abuts against the stockescutcheon 72 secured to jthe 'fore'part 66'. of. the stock .62 by thescrews 102; The end .of the shank 26' of the driven member 22 isthreaded at 28, in this instance in right-hand fashion, and is receivedby the lug 76' on the band 78 on the barrel 64',

Accordingly, the stock and barrel will be forced apart to induce inthembending stresses at whichthe latter will fire with optimum accuracy,when the drivenimem ber 22' 'is turned .in.the unscrewing direction. of"its threaded shank end 28', Le. iri' stress-applying direction,

while these stresses are relieved on turning the" driven member in 'ttheopposite or stress relieving direction, as

-will be readily understood. It further follows from Figl' ll that'th eratchet teeth 36' on the manipulator} 24" and pawl-like projections 38,on the 'drivenfmemb'e'r' are so -.arranged that the ratchettteeth willinterlockwith the pawl-like projections and positively drive the drivenmember on turning the manipulator in stress-relieving direction, andtheratchetteeth willoverride thep'awl-like projections when the manipulatoris turnedin stress-applying directionat a torque in excess of its;maximum torque which is transmittible to the driven member andadjustable in magnitude on varying theicompression of the spring-discsby means of the adjustment screw ,1 V

(neither shown).

, Reference is now had to Fig. 12 which shows a further 1 modifiedstress connector 20" of constant maximum' torque-type installed in afirearm having a, stock 62'? and tinguishes from the earlier describedconnector Ztiby providing on the manipulator 24" and driven member .22"cooperating friction. surfaces and 112, 'respectively, which are held indriving engagement with each other by the spring discs 52", and 54 thecompression of which may be varied'by the adjustment screw 44". Themaximumtorque transmittible by the manipulator 24" to the driven member22". in either stress-relieving or stresseapplying direction is in thisinstance the same and 1 its magnitude depends on the compression ofthe'spring;

discs 52 and 54", as Will be readily understood. on proper adjustment ofthegcompression of the springdiscs 52" and 54" by means of theadjustment screw 44", transmissionfrom the manipulator 24'? to thedriven member 22" through the friction surfaces 110 and 112 drivingconnection between the manipulator 24" and driven member 22".

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than thoseherein set forth without departing from the spirit and essentialcharacteristics of the invention,

The, instant modified connector 20" disand the present embodiments are,therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalencyrange of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What isclaimed is:

1. In a firearm, a stock part, a barrel part bedded therein; a stressconnection for the stock and barrel parts comprising a member adaptedfor rotary mounting in one part and having a threaded portion forconnection with the other part; a cupped manipulator having a bottom anda rim and being mounted for rotation coaxially of said member, saidmember and said bottom of the manipulator constituting the elements of apawl-type clutch of which one element'has ratchet teeth and the otherelement has cooperating pawl-like projections; a screw having an exposedhead in the cup of said manipulator and a threaded shank extendingthrough the bottom of the latter and received in said member; acompressiontype spring surrounding the threaded shank of said screw andinterposed between the head of the latter'and the bottom of saidmanipulator, said spring urging said clutch elements into drivingengagement with each other with a force variable with the adjustment ofsaid screw, and said ratchet teeth and projections being coordinated soas to interlock with each other and positively drive said member onturning said manipulator in one direction, and to override each other onturning said manipulator in the opposite direction at a torque, greaterthan a predetermined maximum.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a set screwin said member for releasably locking said headed screw in angularlyadjusted position.

3. In combination in a firearm, a .stock, a barrel, a stress connectionbetween the two for adjustably bedding said barrel in the forepart ofsaid stock and comprising a fixed member carried by the barrel andhaving a threaded 8 aperture therein, a rotary part having an abutmentengaging said stock, and a threaded shank passing through the latterinto engagement with the threaded aperture of said fixed member wherebya bending stress is induced in said barrel in response to rotation ofsaid 'part in a given direction, said part having an annular row ofpawl-like projections extending axially of said shank, a rotarymanipulator having axially projecting ratchet teethadapted to mesh withthe projections of said rotary part,

a central axial bore extending through said manipulator,

a headed screw passing freely through said bore and received'in saidrotary part to mount said manipulator coaxially upon said part, andcompression spring means confined between the head of said screw andsaid manipulator for urging said ratchet teeth and pawl-like projectionsinto engagement.

4. The combination in a firearm as defined in claim 3, in which saidheaded screw is adjustable with respect to said manipulator to presetthe pressure of said compression spring means and consequently themaximum torque to be transmitted to said rotary part by saidmanipulator, and means in said part for locking said screw in anadjusted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,173,316 Segal Feb. 29, 1916 1,633,844 Buckwalter June 28, 18271,843,875 Kendall et al. Feb. 2, 1932 2,075,754 Williams Mar. 30, 19372,205,982 Klipsch June 25, 1940 2,373,622 Williams Apr. 10, 19452,497,861 Brown Feb. 21, 1950 2,525,379 Smilansky Oct. 10, 19502,634,640 Pedersen' Apr. 14, 1953 2,690,090 Pedersen Sept. 28, 1954

